Topic: Rusty Leeks

[SpeedyMango]

I think I've got leek rust.  :o

Well, not personally.

I assume the leeks are still edible and shouldn't die altogether (I've got quite a few and don't want to lose them).

My RHS vegetable bible says to destroy all rusty leaves when harvesting - can I remove affected leaves whilst the leeks are still in the ground? Is there any point?

I assume there's nothing (organic) that I can use to kill/hold back the rust at the moment?

Obviously I'll rotate next year and plant something else in the bed - but I'm going to plant some garlic about ten feet away from the leeks at the weekend - not having done it before, is there any danger of the rust moving to the garlic, or am I correct in thinking the garlic won't poke it's head above ground until the spring?

[Mrs Ava]

I had very rusty leeks last year, and very very rusty garlic!  I pulled off some of the leaves, but it seemed daft to me because all I did was expose nice clean layers, which within a week or so, we rusty!  The leeks didn't suffer and were edible and yummy.  The garlic was okay, but one lot, and I can't remember which lot, might have been Solent White, were badly affected and I dug them early and they weren't as big as they could have been.  But, they were perfectly useable.

Don't know how to treat it, other than make sure you rotate well, but I have my leeks right up the other end of my plot this year, and already they are showing signs of rust!  >:(

[tim]

Just keep your fingers crossed. Me too. On top of the rot!!

You can buy 'resistant' strains. = Tim

[sandersj89]

Rust is a fungal infection. Commercially it is treated, especially in vegetables such as leeks and also grain crops such as wheat/barley.

At home or on the allotment it is hard to treat and there is little benfit. It will cut yield to a degree but not a huge amount.

The spores are spread by wind, in an area such as an allotment it is very hard to control as wind spread can be 100's of metres. Onions/leeks/garlic can all be effected. At home I am never bothered by it, at the allotment my spring planted onion sets suffered to a degree but not too bad. My leeks at the allotment, Carlton, show some signs of it but at home they are fine.

Composting the infected leaves should not be a problem considering people nearby are not so will re-infect yours next year. Also there is never a month of the year when onions/leeks are not growing to act as a host for the fungus!

In summary, eat the worst affected first and don't worry too much!

Jerry